Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins gets advice from Matt Booth, a speed conditioning coach while doing a workout at the soccer fields at City of Palms Park on Thursday 7/10/2014. Watkins, a Fort Myers native will be receiving a key to the city in a ceremony on Friday. On the left is Watkins' cousin Willie Neal,13.(Photo: Andrew West / news-press.com)Buy Photo

Sammy Watkins said being given the key to the city will mean a lot to him and show how far he's come in his journey from South Fort Myers High to Clemson.

But his NFL journey has just begun. Picked No. 4 by the Buffalo Bills, Watkins will fly out Tuesday to begin training camp.

Before that, he'll be honored Friday night along with other past local athletes in the Southwest Florida Sports Banquet n' Ball at City Pier, formerly Art of the Olympians.

Tickets remain available at $35, $50 and $75.

"You can do great things," Watkins said. "You can turn great things out of bad things. I grew up in a bad area but I didn't use that as an excuse. It's all up to me or another person, what they want to do."

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins does wind sprints during a workout at the soccer fields at JetBlue Park on Thursday 7/10/2014. Watkins, a Fort Myers native will be receiving a key to the city in a ceremony on Friday. (Photo: Andrew West/The News-Press Andrew West/ The News-Press)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins does wind sprints during a workout at the soccer fields at JetBlue Park on Thursday 7/10/2014. Watkins, a Fort Myers native will be receiving a key to the city in a ceremony on Friday. (Photo: Andrew West/The News-Press Andrew West/ The News-Press)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins gets advice from Matt Booth, a speed conditioning coach while doing a workout at the soccer fields at JetBlue Park on Thursday 7/10/2014. Watkins, a Fort Myers native will be receiving a key to the city in a ceremony on Friday. On the left is Watkins' cousin Willie Neal,13. (Photo: Andrew West/The News-Press Andrew West/ The News-Press)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bilsl wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins does wind sprints during a workout at the soccer fields at City of Palms Park on Thursday 7/10/2014. Watkins, a Fort Myers native will be receiving a key to the city in a ceremony on Friday. (Photo: Andrew West/The News-Press Andrew West/ The News-Press)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins works on cutting drills during a workout at the soccer fields at City of Palms Park on Thursday 7/10/2014. Watkins, a Fort Myers native will be receiving a key to the city in a ceremony on Friday. (Photo: Andrew West/The News-Press Andrew West/ The News-Press)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins gets advice from Matt Booth, a speed conditioning coach while doing a workout at the soccer fields at City of Palms Park on Thursday 7/10/2014. Watkins, a Fort Myers native will be receiving a key to the city in a ceremony on Friday. On the left is Watkins' cousin Willie Neal,13. (Photo: Andrew West/The News-Press Andrew West/ The News-Press)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bill wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bill wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bill wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver and Fort Myers native, Sammy Watkins will receive the key to the city of Fort Myers on Friday. He is working out while he is in town. On Thursday he was working on his speed with Matt Booth, a speed and conditioning coach. (Photo: Andrew West/news-press.com)

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"I don't know if we've been real great as a city or community at recognizing high talent," Henderson said. "There's so much talent in this region. When I reflect back 30 years, to have an opportunity to highlight such outstanding achievement, it's a missed opportunity if you don't pause for a moment."

Fred Stevens, executive director of the James Brunson Youth Development Foundation, Inc., is the event coordinator. He said this event also will raise money for youths who want to attend college while bringing attention to the violence that has been happening in the Fort Myers community, which has led to the deaths of a number of youths.

"What's most important is to show my community and the city of Fort Myers that despite where I came from, I can be an inspiration to all young women and men," said Anthony Henry, who is flying from Los Angeles to be at the event. "I feel blessed to come out of those situations."

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins works on cutting drills during a workout at the soccer fields at City of Palms Park on Thursday 7/10/2014. Watkins, a Fort Myers native will be receiving a key to the city in a ceremony on Friday.(Photo: Andrew West / news-press.com)